4 Popular Nigerian Soup Recipes You Should Know

A heritage Nigerians don’t joke with is the food, and Ghanaians can testify to the never-ending jollof rice war. Our native and indigenous foods, especially our soups, are a huge part of our cultural diversity, with each region boasting a unique soup with its distinct taste and flavour.

From mouth-watering sweetness to tongue-tricking bitterness. We’ve covered some indigenous Nigerian soups that cut across all ethnic groups and can represent us in any soup Olympics.

Here are a few Native Nigerian soups that, when prepared well, will leave your taste buds begging for more.

Egusi Soup

The star of Nigerian soups. Egusi soup, also known as “Miyan Gushi’ in Hausa, “Ofe Egusi” in Igbo, “Efo Elegusi” in Yoruba, and “Melon soup” for the posh English kids.

A staple soup in most Nigerian households, made with sumptuous proteins and a whole lot more. I’m pretty sure you’ve had different versions of this soup, unless you’re allergic to Egusi.

Here’s a quick recipe that never fails, and might even make you want to take the risk if you’re allergic.

Ingredients & Recipe for Egusi Soup

Egusi (Melon): 3 cups of ground melon. Pour a little water into the ground melon and mix until it becomes a thick paste.
Meat & Fish: Start by washing and boiling your beef or meat of choice until tender, then add your stockfish and dried fish. Add 2 seasoning cubes and leave to cook for 5 minutes.
Pumpkin Leaves (Ugu): Wash the leaves thoroughly 2-3 times with clean water, then cut them into your preferred size. Set aside in a strainer to drain the water.
Palm Oil: Pour the palm oil into your pot until it covers the surface. Next, put the Egusi paste gradually in small amounts and fry. Cook on low heat to prevent burning.
Pour in the meat and fish mixture and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
Crayfish & Pepper: Add ground crayfish and ground pepper to the soup. Then stir to mix.
Water: Add a small cup of water to complement that from the meat and fish stock.
Salt & Seasoning: Add salt and extra seasoning to taste (depending on how seasoned you want it). Leave to simmer for 5 minutes, then add your pumpkin (Ugu) leaves.
Stir and leave to cook for 5 minutes.
Your delicious Egusi soup is ready!

Vegetable Soup

If tastiness and deliciousness had a baby, it’d be vegetable soup. This soup can be made in different ways with different types of vegetables, also known as “Miyan Alaiho” in Hausa, “Ofe Akwukwo” in Igbo, “Efo Riro” in Yoruba, and “Edikang Ikong” in Efik.

This healthy and nutrient-rich soup is a staple food in Nigerian households because of how nourishing it always comes out, and how easy it is to cook with all its goodies.

Here’s a quick and finger-licking good vegetable soup recipe that’ll elevate your kitchen game.

Ingredients & Recipe for Vegetable Soup

Vegetables – Pumpkin (Ugu) & Water Leaf: Wash the leaves thoroughly 2-3 times with clean water, then cut them into your preferred size. Set them aside in strainers to drain the water.
Pepper & Onion: Wash and blend habanero pepper (rodo), red bell pepper (tatashe), and onions to get a mix, then set aside in two portions.
Meat & Fish: Start by washing your beef or meat of choice, add a portion of the pepper mix and 2 seasoning cubes to taste, boil until tender, then add your stockfish and dried fish. Leave to cook for 5 minutes.
Palm Oil: Pour the palm oil into your pot until it covers the surface. Next, pour the second portion of the pepper mix and fry for 3 minutes.
Add your meat and fish mixture and leave to cook for 5 minutes.
Crayfish: Add ground crayfish to the soup. Then stir to mix.
Water: Add a small cup of water.
Salt & Seasoning: Add salt and extra seasoning to taste (depending on how seasoned you want it). Leave for 5 minutes, then add your sliced pumpkin (Ugu) leaves and water leaf.
Stir and leave to cook for 2 minutes.
Serve with any swallow (Eba, Semovita, Amala, etc.) of choice.

Bitter Leaf Soup (Ofe Onugbu)

This Nigerian soup made with bitter leaf, assorted meat or fish, and a variety of native spices, will trick your tongue into wanting more after every taste.

The bitter leaf soup ends up with a unique, and slightly bitter taste, packed full of medicinal properties.

Here’s a quick recipe for bitter leaf soup that never fails.

Ingredients & Recipe for Bitter Leaf Soup

Bitter Leaf: Make sure you wash properly to remove any trace of bitterness. Boil the leaves for 10 – 15 Minutes, then wash 2-3 times with a cold, and clean water.
Meat & Fish: Start by washing and boiling your beef until tender, then add your stockfish and dry fish. Add 2 seasoning cubes and leave to cook until soft.
Coco Yam: Boil the cocoyam for about 20 minutes until tender, then gently peel off the skin and blend or pound the cocoyam until smooth.
Crayfish & Pepper: Add ground crayfish and pepper to the boiling meat. Then stir to mix.
Palm Oil: Now add your palm oil and leave to boil for 3 minutes
Now add your smooth cocoyam in small portions, then leave for another 3 minutes to dissolve and thicken the mix
Salt: Add your salt to taste. Leave for 5 minutes, then add the washed bitter leaf.
Leave to cook for 2-3 minutes
Bon Appetit. Your soup is ready!

Pepper Soup

Another top player in Nigerian households, this can be made with any meat or fish of your choice, and you can also include vegetables.

The next time you’re thinking of ordering that catfish or goat meat pepper soup, have it at the back of your mind that if you know what meat or fish is, you’re already halfway to becoming a good pepper soup chef.

All you need is a pot, a stove, this recipe, and the grace of the Almighty to not mess things up.

Ingredients & Recipe for Pepper Soup

Pepper Mix: This consists of fresh habanero pepper (rodo), red bell pepper (tatashe), onions, a little ginger, and a little garlic. Wash and blend to get a mix, then set aside.
Meat or Fish: Start by properly washing your cow meat (beef) or any meat or fish of choice, then place in a sizable pot, and add water to cover the meat or fish.
Pepper soup spice: You can get this already packaged from the market.
Seasoning: Add the pepper mix and the pepper soup spice to your pot of meat or fish, add 2 cubes of seasoning, and allow to boil for 20 minutes (meat) or 10 minutes (fish).
Crayfish & Pepper: Add a little ground crayfish and ground pepper (depending on how spicy you want it). Then stir to combine.
Salt: Add salt to taste. Leave for 5 minutes, then add chopped basil or scent leaf
Stir and leave to cook for 15 minutes (meat) or 5 minutes(fish).
Voila! Best served as e dey hot.

You’ve probably picked a recipe you’ll be trying out soon. The good thing is as delicious as these soups always turn out to be, that’s how nutritionally rich they are.

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